Memories of the Angel
by Fated Circle
Summary: Raoul's memories of the angel. Mixes Broadway and Leroux. (music box=broadway, Christine's feelings=Leroux) Raoul has memories from when he first heard about the Angel, to the Angel's death, to his own death. R/R! Needs a lot of help!


This is the result of random bored-ness at midnight. I suddenly felt like writing about something. And the way I am with fanfics, I usually don't like reading stories of new characters. I prefer thoughts of the original chars and what if's. So here's Raoul's thoughts during the prologue- right after he wins the music box at the auction. Thanks for reading!  
  
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MEMORIES OF THE ANGEL  
  
Raoul seemed off in his own world as he was handed the small music box. As he stroked the velvet lining, his mind turned to the past quicker and quicker. His fingers were surprisingly nimble for his age as they darted over the small lead monkey. Tears began to form a layer over his eyes as he turned the key and heard the gentle strains of music. He wondered if the box would play after he and all those connected to the Angel had died.  
  
Raoul remembered all those happy years with Christine as the music played. He remembered when they were young and listened to her father play the violin. He remembered the first time he heard her sing at the opera house and how his heart had been hers since that day. He remembered the Angel of Music and his curious disappearance beneath the opera house. And he remembered his years with Christine following the incident.  
  
They had married, but he always felt like a part of her had always yearned for the angel. Every time they were together, Raoul felt like Christine was in a world other than his. As she lay on her deathbed four months earlier, her last words were a promise to the angel that she would soon be with him again. Raoul had promised Christine as she passed that he would uncover the mysteries of the Phantom.  
  
Yet he had not set foot anywhere that dreaded place and now he felt as though he had betrayed Christine by not fulfilling his promise. After all he'd been through to help Christine, he felt that he should have at least kept his promises. Not only his promise to Christine, but also his promise to himself. Raoul had sworn that he would not die until he knew what had happened to the Angel of Music, to the Phantom of the Opera.  
  
But as he held the music box in his hand, he felt that he would never be able to keep his promise. After seventy years of struggling to stay alive, Raoul was beginning to feel very tired. He was tired of living and all he wanted now was to see Christine and the Angel again. He doubted he would get his wish.  
  
Raoul decided to leave the auction after the next item, which strangely enough, was the chandelier that hung in the opera so many years ago. And so he left. And as he lay in his bed that night, he thought once more of the Angel of Music. He knew that he would never find out the mystery for Christine and this realization caused him to almost cry.  
  
As Raoul lay in bed with tears in his eyes, he prayed for the Angel to come to him as he had to Christine so many years ago. Much to his surprise, the Angel did come. At first it was just a shadow in the corner of the room, but little by little it gained shape and came out from the wall.  
  
Raoul could not believe that for once his wished had been granted. He quietly asked the Angel to speak, but no voice came. Again he asked, but still received no answer. Instead, the Phantom reached out a hand and waved over Raoul's body. Raoul felt extremely peaceful and at last understood how the Phantom had come to be in his room.  
  
It was not real; it was only a figment created by the last wishes of a dying man. Raoul understood how the Angel felt to have his heart shattered into millions of pieces. He could understand that the Phantom had been unable to live in a world devoid of his only love. Raoul knew that the Angel had simply willed himself to cease living rather than continue on hated by all in a world without Christine.  
  
And finally understanding all this, Raoul closed his eyes, his fingers still curled around the music box. He was able to rest easy for the first time in years. Raoul had fulfilled his promise to Christine, and therefore to himself. He now felt that he could die in peace. His breath grew shorter, but his grip on the music box did not loosen. He saw it as his only link to Christine and if he should let go, then he would never see her again. Shortly, his breaths became so thin that one could say they had disappeared. And soon after, his heart joined his breath and he passed away.  
  
For Raoul, his journey with the Angel had only just begun. He died with a smile on his face, a smile of peace and accomplishment. When his children came in the next morning, they found Raoul lying still with a smile on his face and a hand on his music box. There was also a note left beside his bed. It had a simple message on it. "Bury me with my Christine, so that together we may seek the Angel of Music. Together we will find the Phantom of the Opera."  
  
As Raoul's family stood around his bed, a strange thing began to happen. Though no one had touched it, the music box began to play. Raoul's was the only hand on the music box, but he was already gone. Those in the room thought it was an act of God that the music had come to play. But if Raoul were there, he would have assured them that it was the Angel of Music, come back for one last time.  
  
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Yeah, aren't ya glad I'm done. The end kinda got messed up, but I got a little tired. I guess I'll fix it up once you review and give me suggestions. But I hope you liked it at least a little bit. Thanks for reading and please review! 


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